MAG’s purpose is to contribute to the safe social and economic development at national, regional and local levels within Sri Lanka, by reducing the risk presented by remnants of conflict1.
There is an ongoing conflict within Sri Lanka between the Government and the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam). Following deterioration in negotiations and increased hostilities across the island in 2006-2007, in January 2008 the government officially withdrew from the Norwegian-brokered ceasefire of 2002.
Landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) from over a quarter of a century of conflict in Sri Lanka not only threaten a return to normal and productive lives; they impede the reconstruction and resettlement efforts envisaged by national and local authorities.
The entire country has suffered from the consequences of past and present conflicts, but the districts of Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mannar, Mullaitivu, Vavuniya, Batticaloa, Trincomalee and Ampara have borne the brunt.
MAG has been operational in Sri Lanka since 2002, the first specialised non-governmental organisation (NGO) to undertake mine action in the country. Initially working the in the north of the country until security and access restriction prevented ongoing work, MAG continues operations in the east of the country and is in preparation for re-commencing operations in the north as soon as the environment allows.
As of end October 2008, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs estimates 375,000 Internally Displaced People in the north, with no indication of when resettlement will occur; a further 10,000 remain in the east from conflict in 2006-2007, with the expectation of resettlement to be completed in mid-2009.
There is an ongoing, pressing need for mine action within Sri Lanka in order to support the conflict recovery process in areas where there are no longer ongoing hostilities, and to prepare for the clearance of areas currently within the conflict zone; the first step of conflict recovery is to allow people to return to their homes in safety.
Since commencing operations, MAG has cleared over 15,000,000m2, returning land for resettlement and activities in support of this. This includes land around schools, bridge and access routes as well as land for redevelopment, agriculture and traditional sustainable livelihoods. At the time of the ceasefire in 2002, there were up to 20 casualties per month; through the combined efforts of the mine action operators in Sri Lanka, this figure been reduced to less than one per three months in 2008. The casualty figure is likely to rise again, unless ongoing support for mine action can be generated.
Notes:
1 Remants of conflict: MAG uses this term to describe all items recovered and destroyed as part of its humanitarian disarmament activities, which include anti-personnel and anti-vehicle mines, explosive remnants of war (ie. any type of explosive weapons, including ammunition, but not including landmines), abandoned and unexploded ordnance, and small arms and light weapons (SALW).
November 2008
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